27 January

Dear Friends,

Although it seems to have passed so quickly, our time in Amsterdam is drawing to a close, and next Sunday is my final Sunday.

From the Remembrance service on the Saturday after we arrived, to the three communion services at the beginning of each month, to welcoming Helen Voos as a new member of the congregation as she professed her faith, to celebrating Elijah Digber's baptism last Sunday, to the ecumenical carol service, to the pop-up nativity on the Sunday before Christmas, to sharing the services with many different people reading or helping to lead the prayers, to preparing the liturgy sheets with Anja, to working with Richard on the music for the services, to the wonderful singers, musicians and choir, and to preaching Sunday by Sunday and leading the congregation in worship, it has been a great privilege.

The fortnightly Bible study group has been a real highlight for me, and the group were very patient as I set a variety of different poems alongside the Biblical text in order to create a 'dialogue partner' and generate some lively and interesting discussions.

Although the lockdown restrictions meant much of the congregation's normal life was put on hold, not least over the Christmas season, I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet and visit so many people and Margaret and I are more than grateful to everyone who invited us to their home for a meal.

And set in such a wonderful location, we have enjoyed living at the Manse.

We have walked the streets of Amsterdam visiting the shops and street markets, enjoying the canals and when restrictions allowed, some of the cafes and restaurants and many of the museums.

Disappointments - yes - the restrictions meant our son and family could not visit us at Christmas, or other friends come from Scotland during January, but we have enjoyed visiting our daughter and family in Brussels.

The Christmas concert at the Concert-Gebouw was cancelled, and although we walked one afternoon from the Manse out to the Johan Cruyff arena, I have not been able to attend an Ajax match.

I will just need to come back.

Until then, thank you for having me as your locum - and thank you from us both for making us so welcome.

Russell